Hughes Electrical to invest more than £1m in new Great Yarmouth store on derelict Two Bears Hotel site

An artist's impression of the proposed Hughes Electrical Store proposed on the Two Bears Hotel site in Great Yarmouth

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Hughes Electrical Group today announced it is investing more than £1m to build a 5,500 sq ft store in Great Yarmouth.

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The store will be built on the site of the derelict Two Bears Hotel following its demolition.

The EDP Top 100 firm said the store will be open for business early next year and it expects all contracts involved in the building and fitting out of the new store to go to local companies. However, it looks likely to spell the end for its current town centre store, in the wake of disappointing sales figures. However, the firm’s Gorleston store, which has traded profitably and independently of the Yarmouth store, is unaffected by the plans.

Robert Hughes, managing director, said: “We see this very much as a vote of confidence in Great Yarmouth and its future and are delighted with the prospect of opening our new store.

“It will enable us to respond to the demands of today’s customers who want easy access by car with free parking outside the store in order to collect items ordered online. They also want to see a wide range of products on one level. Our new Great Yarmouth store will offer all of this which sadly our current store can not.”

The site is to be purchased from Citygate Developments who obtained planning consent for the development in December.

He said the original historic statues of the two bears will be carefully removed (before demolition) and will feature prominently in the new store’s design.

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30 comments

There will be a 23 space car park at rear which will include a loading bay.
On the whole Hughes only use 7.5 tonne trucks to deliver to shops.

yet another poorly thought out planning decision by our so called counclers serving our wishes.
while i can see that Hughs would probably own the site out right that dose not make it the right use of the plot the same criteria for it not being a hotel is no parking spaces except for staff. far better that the existing building be used more sympathetic by a solicitor or architect and Hughs make use of the Bennits site or comit these are both far more suitable with much better parking facility's. and there is land ajsent to Tescos that would be better.
I dough that the shops in Gorleston and market square will survive more than 12 months after this opens

The people of Gt Yarmouth should be grateful that any company wants to invest this sort of money in the town. It is obvious that this type of retailer needs an out of town location with parking to survive and the existing store is not fit for purpose in today’s retail market. What happens to the existing store building should not be a factor is allowing or refusing planning permission. I think the amazing fact here, is that Hughes want to retain a presence in Great Yarmouth at all, let alone invest a million!

"The empty out of town units that are both suitable and available makes you wonder just what has gone on here"
On the whole ordinary retail park rentallease units would not be "suitable"!
As a general rule the Hughes Group owns the freehold of most of its premises.

Not a new company, why waste old building if they want bigger store and parking try Bennett s or comet. If two bears was turned into key workers flats they could sell tennents tvs washing machines kettles etc what a waste!

Good. Great news - about time someone had the confidence to invest in Yarmouth. The old place is an eyesore, and no-one could think what to do with it.
"What about the vacant units" - if they were suitable, they would have been used.
Good on Hughes for having the guts and confidence to do this.

I cannot say I disagree with it being demolished and replaced; I just think a large goods store is not particularly suited well to that location with limited parking when better sites exist and are not currently in use.

I,m surprised they are still trading with the competition in the electrical business. The running costs for the market place store must be frightening. Good luck to them in there future move. Great to see an independent invest in the town, but big loss for the market place. Not even our town centre manager can talk them into staying.

Why? Why when there is a shop standing empty next to Matalan? Why when there are vacant units in the town centre larger than their current store. And if the staff dont buck their ideas up and if the pricing doesnt get any more competitive they will not get customers. Their current Market Place venture is run as if it is a blokes club and they couldnt give a monkeys if anyone bought anything- I went in for a white goods item before Xmas and walked out because I was plain annoyed by the staff

Just what Great Yarmouth needed - another empty store on the market place.
I cant believe permission was given to Hughes knowing that it is another nail in the market place's coffin.
Our council should stand up and take notice to the comments in the article
“It will enable us to respond to the demands of today’s customers who want easy access by car with free parking outside the store in order to collect items ordered online"
FREE PARKING will encourage people in to town centres.

This makes interesting reading. I thought for something as major as this project, including the demolition of an existing building, that current planning (PPG) required certain hurdles to be jumped. Suitability or alternative sites or premises being one of them.
The empty out of town units that are both suitable and available makes you wonder just what has gone on here for Hughes to get agreement. It therefore looks more like a speculative property investment for Hughes in the present retail climate than an investment for Gt Yarmouth. Surely people can see through this?
The service levels in retail have never been more important for companies to survive and given the comments already on here, and my own experience in visiting Hughes store both in Gt Yarmouth and Norwich, including the Bennetts store they are now responsible for, I think that they have an enormous challenge to make this scheme work.
It looks like the planners have taken the bait though.....

Its a shame that such a lovely building has to be demolished. But I totally agree that a new store would be welcoming as we need more jobs in the town. This might be the right step forward to starting to improve this town with the right tactics. New Jobs instead of more housing places and sending people to this town where there are no jobs !! Jobs for our own Towns people !! Seems like somebody is getting it right !! Good Luck!

"However, it looks likely to spell the end for its current town centre store, in the wake of disappointing sales figures." Two questions. 1) What makes them think the sales figures will improve by moving here, and 2) Comment please EDP from Yarmouths 'wonderful' town centre manager ?

Good. Great news - about time someone had the confidence to invest in Yarmouth. The old place is an eyesore, and no-one could think what to do with it.
"What about the vacant units" - if they were suitable, they would have been used.
Good on Hughes for having the guts and confidence to do this.

Maybe it's me, but I don't see the reasoning for Hughes to open a store on the site of the 3 Bears, especially as the market place shop has disappointing sales figures. What makes them think it will be better for them to open by a set of 3 or is it 4 way traffic lights in an area that seems to have no parking facilities for the mega store, unless everyone is going to park in Matalan or Lidl's, which won't go down well for their customers or maybe the old Bennetts store car park will be used, but it would still mean customers carrying any goods across the road, or maybe all the customers will park in the side streets and annoy the residents instead. I wait and see.

I, like a lot people I would think, never use Hughes in the town as it's too much of a faff. Especially if you want to buy a big item such as a washing machine and take them with you.
I would definitely use a new Hughes store out of the town centre and any reason not to go in to Yarmouth town centre is always a bonus.

Just what Great Yarmouth needed - another empty store on the market place.
I cant believe permission was given to Hughes knowing that it is another nail in the market place's coffin.
Our council should stand up and take notice to the comments in the article
“It will enable us to respond to the demands of today’s customers who want easy access by car with free parking outside the store in order to collect items ordered online"
FREE PARKING will encourage people in to town centres.

"The empty out of town units that are both suitable and available makes you wonder just what has gone on here"
On the whole ordinary retail park rentallease units would not be "suitable"!
As a general rule the Hughes Group owns the freehold of most of its premises.

I, like a lot people I would think, never use Hughes in the town as it's too much of a faff. Especially if you want to buy a big item such as a washing machine and take them with you.
I would definitely use a new Hughes store out of the town centre and any reason not to go in to Yarmouth town centre is always a bonus.